Date
March 8, 2024
Game
Stars (JR) vs The Chiefs
Details
Late in the 3rd period, a Chiefs player is heading back into their zone to retrieve a puck while a Stars player pursues. The Chiefs player grabs the puck and turns towards the incoming Stars player, notices an imminent head-on collision, and turns their back. The Stars player attempts to slow before making contact, but hits the Chiefs player to the ice/boards. A penalty is called on the play.
The Stars player checks on the well-being of the Chiefs player. The Chiefs player ignores the gesture, gets up, and shoves his shoulder/elbow into the Stars player. The Stars player reacts by pushing the Chiefs player onto the ice from behind.
Upon seeing this, a Chiefs player rushes at the Stars player, who pushes the Chiefs player onto the ice. The first Chiefs player gets up and charges at the Stars player with a football-style tackle. Both players get involved in a scuffle, in which the Chiefs helmet is knocked off. Eventually, both players are separated. The Stars player gives the Chiefs player a last shove before skating towards the doors.
A Chiefs player comes off the bench and verbally engages the leaving player. Another Chiefs play, also from the bench, also engages, before yelling at another Stars player, knocking their glove off, and yelling at an ice-level convener. A third Chiefs player, who was not dressed to play, also entered the ice surface in shoes to yell at the officials. All Chiefs players had left the bench by this time.
Notes:
None of the Stars players left the bench.
This case was directly reviewed by the ARL referee-in-chief.
Result
After thorough review, was ultimately ruled the Stars player was defending themselves, outside of the initial altercation-causing shove from behind and additional shove after the scuffle.
The Chiefs, as a unit, did not help in de-escalating the situation (including yelling from the bench and on the ice) and broke numerous altercation rules, including all players leaving the bench.
The Stars player was issued a 1-game suspension (Unsporting, Retaliation).
A Chiefs player was issued a 2-game suspension (Unsporting, Fighting, Retaliation).
A Chiefs player was issued a 1-game suspension (Retaliation, Third Person In).
A Chiefs player was issued a 2-game suspension (Leaving the Bench, Third Person In, Verbal Abuse of an Official)*
A Chiefs player was issued a 1-game suspension (Leaving the Bench, Third Person In)
A Chiefs player was issued a 1-game suspension (Leaving the Bench, Third Person In)
* As the player was plain-clothed when entering the ice surface during a game, the Facility Owners retain the rights to take additional actions that will not covered in this report.
Clarity Note: Despite only having 2 games left in the season, a 3-game suspension can still be issued. The remaining game would be served the first game of the next season the player is part of.